Open File Report 2010-01

Open File Report 2010-01

Building Stone in Alberta

This report contains a general discussion on what building stone is, the types of rocks used, the properties and applications of building stone, and the locations of prospective sources in Alberta. The report focuses on the geological aspects of the rocks, as this helps determine how suitable the rocks are as building stone.

The following characteristics determine the suitability of stone for building purposes: strength, durability, weathering, appearance, size, jointing and abundance. The report will describe these characteristics in detail for each rock formation of interest. It will describe rocks that are productive or potentially productive for building stone, mining techniques used to extract the rocks, product types that can be used once the rock has been extracted, the different types and locations of markets, the feasibility of transportation, and the future potential of building stone.

It will also provide current production statistics for building stone, as well as land access reservations. The information is based mainly on previous publications and quarry field visits carried out in 2006, 2007 and 2008.